The rules were suspended to allow
Dr. Anthony Wise, Vice President of Learning, to update Senate on several
issues.

·Work is progressing on the universal
articulation agreements mandated by the Complete College Tennessee Act of 2010.
Fourteen to nineteen agreements have been approved by most administrative units
with the exception of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Until they are
approved by UTK, we will use our current articulation agreements. There will be
around 40 universal articulation agreements. Colleges will still have the
ability to negotiate individual agreements in subject areas not covered by a
universal agreement.

·Pellissippi State has applied for $8.5 million
in federal funds through the Community College Special Capital Outlay Program
for the purchase of the site for the proposed East Campus. If this funding is
not forthcoming, the College still plans to pursue the purchase of the site.

·Enrollment for spring is currently 15-20% ahead
of this time last year.

·The new funding formula will be used for the
next budget cycle. It is a concern of community college presidents that money
from community colleges will pass to universities. Allocation of funds is still
being discussed. Presidents are asking that funding allocations for community
colleges and universities be separated so that we are only competing with other
community colleges for available funds. A shortfall of $5 million is expected
next year. Some of the loss will be offset by increases in tuition and fees.
The University of Tennessee is pressing for employee pay increases.

II.Approval of Minutes: Tom Gaddis

The minutes
of the October 20 meeting were approved without objection.

III.Officer Reports:

Secretary: Jean Jackson – No report

Communications: Ken Swayne – No report

TBR Representative: Dave Vinson

Dave Vinson
sent documents and notes relating to the work of the UT/TBR Articulation
Council to faculty via email yesterday. The official articulation agreements
will become effective fall 2011.

Dave is
working on a report from the October 22 Faculty Subcouncil meeting and he will
distribute it soon.

President:Mark Fuentes

·The college is reviewing the Signals program. It
would be added to Banner to help track student progress. The program would
require a significant investment and might entail a lot of additional work.
There will be a demo in the spring.

·Jim Simpson from Florida State College at
Jacksonville reviewed college data and programs. He suggested actions – including
elimination of the graduation fee, looking at hidden prerequisites, and
discussing certificate programs – that might impact the graduation rate.

·The mission statement has been revised.

·Dr. Edwards sent the draft of the Academic
Freedom Policy to TBR Legal for review. TBR Legal sent it to the board for
review.

·Action on the status of the United Campus
Workers union is also in the hands of TBR. Apparently other schools have asked
TBR for guidance.

IV.Committee Reports:

Adjunct Faculty: William Gwin – No
report

Student Scholarships: Bob Stern

The problem
of book storage for the sale was again discussed. The faculty lounge in the
McWherter Building may be used for book storage. Suggestions for other means of
fundraising for student scholarships are welcome. The book sale has tentatively
been scheduled for March 16-17 at Pellissippi Campus. Sales at site location
will be held on the usual dates before spring break.

Rules: Donn King – No report

Nominating Committee: Jean Jackson – No
report

Promotion/Tenure: Jane Stribling

Calendars have been distributed and the process is
underway.

Faculty
Development: Ron Bridges

The next
webinar scheduled for this semester, “23 Practical Strategies to Help New
Faculty Thrive,” will be on Monday, November 22, from 1:00-2:30 p.m. in AL 206.

Encourage new
faculty to attend. Discussion after the program is often useful.

A webinar on
service learning has also been scheduled. President Fuentes will send further
information via email. The idea of producing a webinar from here may be
explored.

Faculty Lecture Series: Trent Eades

The semester's
last regular lecture in the series was presented last week by Teresa Fulcher to a packed house. A lecture co-sponsored by the
Common Academic Experience, Gnosis, and The Faculty Lecture Series --
"Searching for the Sublime," will be presented by Trent Eades at 3:30
p.m., Dec. 10, in the Goins Building Auditorium. There have been some technical
problems with the closed-circuit feed to the overflow location (Cafeteria
Annex) this year. The PAC is not as easy to schedule but a couple of lectures
have been scheduled in the PAC next year.

V.Discussion:

Fac_Staff
Listserv

The listserv
will continue to be moderated. For a message to be distributed it has to be
related to college business and be relevant to everyone on the list including
student workers. If formal guidelines for use of the list are requested, it
will become formal policy. That is not a desired outcome. Faculty Senate will
not ask for formal guidelines but will continue to object to list moderation.

Student
Perceptions

There is
concern about the non-secured and non-standardized process for handling the student
perceptions survey. This year boxes were left unmonitored in a hallway
overnight. The difference in format of the survey that is offered for online
completion by the Transitional Studies Department might contribute to an
inequity in results. It was noted that Transitional Studies is piloting the
online completion of the survey this year, as an online survey is being
considered for future use across the college. No motion was made but instead
President Fuentes was asked to discuss the matter at Learning Council. He will
report results of the discussion.

Lead Teachers

In at least
one department, lead teacher have responsibility for supervising and scheduling
adjuncts. Is this an issue in other departments? It does not appear to be
wide-spread. Send any suggestion to President Fuentes.

Adjunct Representation

Adjunct faculty are entitled to two representatives to Senate. Sara
Salyers came to this meeting to get an understanding of how adjunct
representatives are elected and to express the sense of alienation that
adjuncts often feel. In the past it has been difficult to get adjunct
representatives because they volunteer their time to attend Senate meeting and
they tend to have other jobs and obligations that make attendance difficult.
Adjunct faculty seats on Senate have usually been filled by soliciting
volunteers from among adjuncts. There was concern expressed that one of the
current adjunct faculty senators has been unable to attend many meeting.
President Fuentes will seek input from adjuncts regarding the election process
to fill future vacancies.

VI.Unfinished Business:

There is no unfinished business.

VII.New Business:

Conversion of
Library Space to Offices

As background,
in August, administration informed Library Services that approximately 25
spaces for temporary adjunct faculty offices would be set up in the second
floor, quiet study area of the library using existing library furniture. Also
after fall semester, it was intended that another library area on the second
floor would be permanently converted to offices for adjunct faculty. Jean
Jackson moved that a resolution from Library Services be approved. After
discussion and amendment, the resolution was approved as follows:

Whereas, At a time when more emphasis is
being placed on student success and retention, the administration of
Pellissippi State Community College has made a firm and non-negotiable decision
to permanently convert to office space a part of the Library that includes open
study space, three very heavily used study rooms for student group
collaboration and supplemental instruction activities, and access to parts of
the print collection supporting academic research;

Whereas, This
decision comes at a time of growing enrollment when the need for physical space
for student scholarship continues to increase;

Whereas, Administrative disregard for
classroom-related academic support of students and accessibility of print
resources is further demonstrated by their dictum that this space be vacated
and ready for the remodeling project in the midst of an academic year so that
the project can get underway during the Christmas break/semester interim; and

Whereas, It seems to be of negligible
concern to administration that approximately 38,000 volumes (approximately
14.25 tons of books) would need to be moved in order to keep the materials most
logically shelved so that students can find them and that movement of this kind
is disruptive to service during an academic year, or that the subject areas
affected support major parts of our curricular offerings (philosophy, history,
business, social sciences, political science, law, education, music, art, and
language and literature); Therefore be it

Resolved, That the faculty of
Pellissippi State Community College support our library colleagues in
expressing our absolute sorrow and disgust at this decision which takes away
needed student space and forces us to provide less service, and at the evident
lack of administrative regard for support of student needs that the decision
embodies; and

Resolved, that we strongly urge the
administration to consider alternative and equitable space elsewhere for
adjunct faculty offices.

Adjunct Faculty
Representation

Joe Zitka
moved that adjunct faculty representative, Jonathan Morrell, be recalled from
Faculty Senate due to non-attendance according to the terms of the Faculty
Senate Constitution. The motion was approved.

President
Fuentes will communicate this decision and will solicit nominations from
adjunct faculty to fill this vacancy for the remainder of the term.

VIII.Announcements
–

The next meeting is scheduled for January
26, 2011 at 3:30 p.m. at the Magnolia Avenue Campus, room TBA.